Putin Claims Leadership, Missile Warning...Western Presses North Korea With Sanctions

[Anchor]
Russian President Putin says he has a firm lead in the war in Ukraine and has warned he can lift missile restrictions against U.S. missile deployments.

Amid strengthened military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, the U.S. and the European Union are increasing pressure by adding Kim Young-bok and other high-ranking North Korean officials involved in sending North Korean troops to the sanctions list.

Correspondent Jo Su-hyun reports from London.

[Reporter]
On the day of Ukraine's claim that 200 North Korean and Russian joint units were killed.

Speaking at the Pentagon's expanded meeting, Putin stressed that Russia has a firm strategic lead on the Ukrainian front.

This year alone, Russian forces have occupied 189 Ukrainian villages.

Putin also argued that a response was inevitable as the West was pushing Russia to the red line.

In particular, he warned that the U.S. would respond to the threat, saying it was trying to deploy medium and short-range missiles in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

[Vladimir Putin / Russian President: If the United States deploys such missiles, Russia will lift all voluntary restrictions on missile deployment.]

In response, the international community is increasing pressure on Russia and North Korea.

The EU has added 30 institutions and corporations to the sanctions along with 54 individuals, including North Korea's Kim Young-bok and Noh Kwang-cheol, who were involved in Russian military aid.

Kim Young-bok, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army, is in charge of the North Korean military in Russia, and Defense Minister Noh Kwang-chul is also directly involved in the dispatch.

[Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Álvarez / Spain: We have been on Ukraine's side in this war and we will continue to do so until we need it, no matter how long it takes.]

The U.S. government also announced new sanctions on Russia, including Kim Young-bok and Ri Chang-ho, director of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, for military support and North Korea's ballistic missile development.

Ten countries, including South Korea and the United States, and the EU issued a joint statement on the same day, condemning North Korea-Russia military cooperation and saying they would continue to impose economic sanctions.

They reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine, making clear their willingness to jointly respond to the close ties between North Korea and Russia.

I'm Jo Suhyun of YTN in London.



Filming: Yoo Hyun-woo

Graphic: Kim Jinho